Indra
Nooyi, the CEO-designate of Pepsico Holdings, is the fourth
most powerful woman in the world according to the Forbes
magazine. If politicians are excluded, she is the most
powerful woman in the world.

German
chancellor Angela Merkel heads the latest Forbes
list of ''The 100 most powerful women''. Condoleezza Rice,
US secretary of state, who held the top position last
year, comes in at second place followed by Chinese vice
premier Wu Yi.

Women
CEO''s and senior executives occupy the next seven positions
in the top-10. Ann Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox, follows Indra
Nooyi at fifth position ahead of Sallie Krawcheck, CFO
of Citigroup, at sixth position. Patricia Woertz, CEO
of US company Archer Daniels Midland, is at No.7 followed
by Ann Lauvergeon, chairman of French energy giant Areva.

Brenda
Barnes, chairperson and CEO of Sara Lee Corp, is at ninth
position and Zoe Cruz, co-president of investment bank
Morgan Stanley, comes in at tenth place.

Sonia
Gandhi is the fourth most powerful woman politician in
the world and fourteenth overall in the Forbes
list. Hillary Clinton, senator from New York and former
US first lady, is the fifth most powerful woman politician
and eighteenth most powerful woman.

Melinda
Gates, wife to Bill Gates, is the 12th most powerful as
she heads Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  the
richest charity in the world. Laura Bush, the present
US fist lady, comes in at a low No. 43 but is more powerful
than Queen Elizabeth who is at No.46.